I Choose Well

I like food.

There, I said it. I know that will surprise some and disappoint others, but it’s the truth. It may appear to be an oxymoron to proclaim a love of food and significant weight loss in the same breath, but it’s not. It’s the difference between quality verses quantity.

When I weighed in excess of three hundred and twenty pounds I ate, a lot. I found the bottom of every bag of chips I ever opened. It didn't matter if it was Doritos or prime rib; I wasn't done until the last morsel had succumbed to my voracious appetite. It was all about filling the void and I was never full.

Fast forward to the new surgically modified me and the story is different. Twice in the past nine months I have ignored the ‘I’m getting full’ warning signal and paid the price. Not to be too graphic or gross, but the price is an immediate and full expulsion of all stomach contents; so much for quantity. I may be an old dog, but I can learn.

If my new capacity is limited to a few bites, I’m going to be pretty choosy about what I eat; hence quality. I've even taken a bite of something and then thought; nope, not worth it and discretely deposited it in a napkin. Not in public of course, but I’m not about to waste my limited capacity on a stale cookie. I love food and I’m learning to respect me. I’d rather have a few bites of something really good than be full on junk. My stomach capacity is the same either way so I might as well choose wisely.

My tastes and views concerning food have changed greatly during this journey. If anything, I enjoy food more now. Eating is not a conquest. I’m not in a hurry to find the bottom of the bag and then go looking for more. I am able to slow down and savor what I choose to eat.

I choose well, because I love food.